


I will Find you Wei Ying

by KamilaPndragon



Series: I want to protect you Wei Ying. [2]
Category: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, the untamed
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Cannon Devergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Content, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:00:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KamilaPndragon/pseuds/KamilaPndragon
Summary: When you find yourself in a place you don't remember in a place where Myths are actually real what do you do. If it took you away from those you love would you stay or would you find any way to get back to them even if you have to defy the very legends that your parents warned you about when they put you down for bed each night. If you could not escape are you certain that those you love would be able to find you in time before you succumb to the draw of legends in the flesh...would you want them to...Well yes obviously because well lets just say the draw of soulmates is stronger than any wish to stay in the midst of living legends.
Relationships: Jiāng Chéng/Wēn Qíng, Lan Zhan/Lan Wangji/ Wei Ying/Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning/ OOC
Series: I want to protect you Wei Ying. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1697929
Comments: 9
Kudos: 116





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> As promised the second part of the series...be forewarned I don't know how long it will take for Lan Zhan to find Wei Ying but he will succeed as we all know Lan Zhan does not stop until he finds his Wei Ying even if he has to fight everyone in his path he will find him.

Chapter One

He found himself curling up into as tight a ball as he could get into unable to get over the thought that for some reason he wasn’t In pain…at first, this thought didn’t make sense this feeling after so long of being in pain was odd it was also rather odd that he found himself warm almost too warm if he wanted to be completely honest but he dared not uncurl himself if this was just another trick from the resentful spirits to lull him into a sense of peace only for it to be ripped from his grasp in the next moment. 

He didn’t know why but that thought alone had him sobbing soundlessly as he kept himself curled up as tightly as he could be, that was until he suddenly realized something at the same time that a memory seemed to worm its way into his finally conscious state he felt an odd sensation in the center of his chest lazily spinning away almost as it was calmly just sitting there waiting for something to happen. Then the memory flashed across his hazy mind first was a loud Roar that seemed to shake the earth and scared the resentful spirits away…Then his eyes flew open as his body jerked out of the curled up position upon seeing the glowing red eyes that looked into his after he felt a strong breath made it difficult to breathe for a moment until he was embraced by darkness. 

He sat there for a moment his mind barely comprehending what he was seeing, he very carefully reached a hand out and touched the strange material that seemed to surround him almost like it was protecting him, which explained the warmth but it wasn’t until he touched it that he realized it was warm to the touch. His head tilted at the feel of whatever it was he was touching, it was smooth to the touch seeming to move in a certain pattern that continued all around him…His brow furrowed as something occurred to him a moment later which cleared his mind of whatever it was that was keeping him calm…it was moving…no not just moving it was rising and falling as if it was breathing. 

His hands flew to his mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to escape the moment that finally occurred to him he scrambled backward only to hit the other side whatever was surrounding him and he found himself sitting in the middle of the circle with his knee’s pulled up to his chest and his hands covering his mouth to muffle the whimpers of fright.  
Then it took all the strength he had not to pass out again when it moved this time not just breathing the ‘Scales.’ Yep he just came to that conclusion at that moment seemed to stretch as a large paw with wicked claws seemed to move into the circle that surrounded him. It was massive about as big as his body if not bigger his perception could have been off as far as he knew…especially with the fact that he hadn’t realized he was surrounded by something with scales until that very moment. 

Then the paw stretched making the claws dig into the floor making deep gouges into the rock. Slowly he looked up once he felt a warm breath on the top of his head and his scream was barely muffled by his hands covering his mouth as he finally saw the glowing red eyes of what he now knew was a dragon. 

‘You're awake…I thought you would be asleep forever child.’ A voice filled his mind a moment later startling him and he could have sworn he was now either going crazy or he was dead… ‘Yes that’s it either I have finally gone off the deep end because of the torture or I am dead…there are no such things as dragons, dragons only exist in fairy tails…yes, that’s it, it's not real.’ He thought hysterically closing his eyes as if that would make it go away…well it worked for children and animals right why couldn’t it work for him but he still felt the warm breath on the top of his head then he flinched when the voice washed over him again while the breath of the dragon seemed to make it seem like the dragon was laughing, ‘I can assure you child that I am very much real…I have been spoken about in legends…no I don’t breathe fire…’ This time he heard the chuckle as seeing as he had been imagining the fire breathing dragon’s that many people spoke about, he huffed at being teased about the thought before the voice started talking again, ‘You would think it would be better to thank your rescuer instead of curling into a ball and trying to avoid looking at me.’ 

‘Huh…’ his mind went blank the moment those words washed over him making him realize that it was true he was in a safe place…yes, the dragon could very well have eaten him at any point while he was out cold but instead had chosen to curl up around him sharing his warmth… ’He is it a he or a she?’ he wondered suddenly swearing up and down that he was actually going insane if he was sitting there wondering if it was a male or female while he could very well be its next meal. The breath seemed to change slightly as if it was laughing again before the voice washed over him once again, ‘I am not going to eat you, child…why would I harm one of my own, and for future reference, I am a male.’ 

This had him looking up at the dragon one part of the words seeming to swirl around in his head, “One of your own?” he said out loud noticing the quality of his voice was raspy from the screams that had been forced out of him from the torture for who knew how long. The dragon nodded startling him, ‘Where do you think the cultivation cores came from child, they didn’t just appear out of nowhere. No mortal man could have achieved it without the help of a divine being.’ 

“What is your name?” Wei Ying questioned cursing his wobbling voice. 

‘Qinglong.’ Came his simple answer and suddenly everything made sense the color of its scales the way it had protected him then another thing occurred to him…the thing he felt spinning in his chest…without even thinking about what he was doing he tore open his robes and felt around his chest as if that would tell him what he needed to know…he ended up brushing his fingers up against the brand on his chest making him forget for a moment what he was doing as it hit him the reason he was there in the first place. 

Then it became confusing…how long had he been in the burial mounds…didn’t he at one point get out…if he hadn’t gotten out how would he know about A-Yuan…how would he know what it felt like to be touched by Lan Zhan…to have him…He trembled at the thought as his body twitched remembering all too clearly the last time he had felt him inside. His hands came up and held his head as everything became too much for him to process he honestly no longer knew what was real anymore…was he actually cultivation partners with the most beautiful man he knew…did he actually adopt a child that they were claiming together. 

He felt the warm breath of the dragon on the top of his head and suddenly a calmness washed over him clearing his mind for a moment so he could think without being overwhelmed by too many thoughts only to jump when the dragon spoke again chasing away the dark thoughts, ‘Your mate is perfectly safe child as is your baby…those visions were brought about by the spirits that were angered by your escape the first time…this time your core saved you from them completely destroying you but I had to strengthen it during the time you slept in order for it not to shatter with how much damage was done.’ 

He blinked up at the dragon confused about what it was saying then it hit him what he felt in his chest was the core that he had gained with the help of Lan Zhan…it wasn’t new but it felt different…calmer somehow stronger. He tilted his head in complete confusion, “What did you do…how long have I been here…where is here…how did I even get here or there…” Several questions escaped all at once and he saw the large eyebrow of the dragon raise and he swore that if the dragon could it would be grinning at him, ‘How did you manage that without taking a single breath?’ the dragon asked laughter in his voice. 

“Practice?” Wei Ying answered a bit confused at his reaction. Then the dragon sighed laying his head on his paw seemingly tapping his claws on the stone beneath his paws as if in thought. 

Wei Ying waited rather impatiently as he did this occasionally fidgeting but trying not to interrupt his thought process, ‘I will answer your questions out of order unfortunately because I cannot explain what happened without starting how you got back to the burial mounds…but first I must ask what is the last thing you remember it is very important so I can figure out where to begin?’ 

Wei Ying’s thoughts flashed to his rather intense encounter with Lan Zhan before they were both curled up on the bed with A-Yuan curled up against his chest…his cheeks heated up as his body decided to remember the sensations which had him twitching in discomfort as he tried to get his body not to fully respond to the memory. The dragon seemed to chuckle again at his discomfort before answering his question, ‘What you don’t remember is that your mate left early the next morning taking your baby with him so he could start his duties with his sect…as he had mentioned the night before he would more than likely be back before sundown giving you a chance to get your work done and still have time to spend with your baby.’ 

Wei Ying’s eyes widened before he questioned suddenly frightened, “How did I get taken under the noses of all the patrolling guards and my family?” 

‘I was getting there Child be patient.’ The dragon chortled and he heard a purr coming from deep in the back of the dragon’s throat telling him he was either content or happy.  
Wei Ying almost immediately pouted upon being told to be patient, “That is harder said than done I have never been very patient.” 

The dragon chuckled again as if he already knew that before he continued, ‘At the time most of Lotus Pier was asleep, the guards as you know were not many and they had many rooms to patrol…it happened to be the one time you were left alone and no guards were near your room…by the time the disturbance was discovered as the spirits took you away you were already in the burial mounds and they were taking out their anger about you escaping in the first place.’ 

Wei Ying tried to digest the information he was given then the dragon continued, ‘As to how you got here this is my den child only I can reach it thus you are safe…you, however, need to recover from more than the physical damage done by the resentful spirits…you also need to heal from the psychological issues that have occurred because of what you went through…the reason they were even able to attack…able to take you away was that they could use your doubt against you…which is also why they could use those you love and care about the most to torture you until breaking.’ 

Wei Ying nodded now completely certain that he may have put Lan Zhan and A-Yuan in danger just for being around. Then the dragon made him jump when it made some sort of noise that forced him to look at him, ‘First and foremost it is not your fault that these spirits attached themselves to you they are fickle creatures that decide to prey on the weakest link when they couldn’t break you they were furious…When they found an opening they took advantage of it. You did not put them in danger because the spirits were more interested in you. After all, you bested them.’ 

Wei Ying had to agree to that one even if he still worried that he had put Lan Zhan in A-Yuan in danger. Logically speaking he should have realized that when they would flee in the presence of Lan Zhan and hadn’t touched A-Yuan no matter how many chances they had. 

‘Now as for how long you have been here…time run’s differently here so I am not certain how long you have been here compared to where you are actually from…I had to take you away from there so I could repair the damage to your core and help you recover from the trauma those spirits put you through…my brother though decided to take revenge for you and destroyed burial mounds the spirits along with it…the jade emperor was not happy about that but as soon as he found out what happened to you he was about to do the same thing if my brother hadn’t already done it.’ The dragon answered making Wei Ying look at him sharply. 

“Huh…wait the legends are true…” Wei Ying squeaked. 

‘Not entirely…the Jade Emperor was one of the first cultivators to reach immortality…because of how long he has been alive he has learned to perfect some techniques that you are still learning…thus why he was furious when he found out what they had done to you…and why he would have succeeded in destroying the burial mounds if my brother hadn’t already done it. Now he is in the jade palace sulking because he didn’t find out first.’ The Dragon chortled seeming to find it amusing the legends that mortals came up with.  
“Why me though there have been many cultivators and mortals alike who have died within the burial mounds what makes me so special…Even Lan Zhan won’t explain to me what makes me different to the point where even he would go against what he has been trained to do since he could walk?” Wei Ying questioned. 

The crimson eyes of the dragon flashed at that one before he grumbled, ‘Remind me to put that on my list of tasks to accomplish…those damn rules need to be destroyed it is ruining more lives then it is protecting and stunting the more talented cultivators because of the lack of normal interactions.’

That was it Wei Ying couldn’t take it he fell over in a fit of giggles clutching his stomach making the dragon wonder why that was so funny. Then he explained amid his giggles, “You have no clue how your words mirror my own I thought at one point in time to scratch out some of the rules…but my fear of getting caught overruled the temptation of destroying the wall of rules.” 

‘they have a wall now?’ the dragon questioned suddenly realizing what all he had missed. 

“Yep and over three thousand rules more than likely a few that were added because of me…I wasn’t what you would call a dutiful disciple in the cloud recesses Grandmaster Lan hated me.” Wei Ying giggled which of course had the dragon staring at him unblinking for a moment. 

‘That certainly explains why none have reached immortality in quite a few generations…I am however glad that you got your mate away from there and he is experiencing a life to the fullest at least around you and your son.’ The dragon mentioned then suddenly his crimson eyes sparkled, ‘The Jade emperor is going to be so pissed when he finds out what those pesky Lan’s did with his brother's doctrines.’ 

“Brother?” Wei Ying squeaked in alarm no one spoke about the Jade emperor having a brother. 

‘Yep and oh is he going to be pissed when he finds out what they did.’ The dragon mentioned his crimson eyes flashing again before they settled and he finally answered his last question, ‘The reason you are special Wei Ying is because of the light in you that even going through that terrible place and the loss of your core couldn’t extinguish. You are pure despite everything you have gone through and stubbornly cling to what you believe even if others refuse to accept it. To be honest with you I wouldn’t be surprised if you are a direct descendant of the Jade emperor he was much the same way you were when he was young.’ The Dragon mused which of course had Wei Ying staring at him blankly as if that was too much for his mind to handle at that point.


	2. Not an update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not an update

I just wanted to let my subscribers know that i am about to make some changes to this story rewriting some chapters i disliked the way the story was flowing and was dissatisfied with the way there was barely any context between the interaction when Wei Ying disappeared and Lan Zhan went to find him. This story is Called i will Find you Wei Ying for a reason and i managed to get away from that somehow. Once i tried writing possibilities unexplored and worked on what happened after Wei Ying disappeared the story began to flow again. Please forgive me for the changes that are going to take place and i hope you are willing to look back at the previous chapters that i will be redoing.  
I hope everyone is being safe during these trying times. please comment below and i hope you can forgive me and still support me on he changes i will be making on the story once they are posted.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Will be the updated version that is running smoother and keeping with the way the story was supposed to go please be patient as i work through the rest of the chapters. Thank you for your patients and thank you for continuing to read my works despite me needing to change this even though you liked it before.

Chapter Two

Qingling remained quiet for a little while to allow Wei Ying to process what he had said when he finally looked at him his eyes were clear before he questioned his voice calm though he could feel the worry in his tone, “What else gives you the idea that I may be the descendant of the Jade Emperor?”

Qingling thought about it for a moment tilting his head at the thought before he started listing off what he was thinking, ‘One is that he has always been very protective of you, I remember him pacing in the Jade Palace for hours when you were thrown into the Burial mounds and it took everyone holding him back to get him not to fly to your side and annihilate the resentful spirits that were torturing you…’ Wei Ying forced himself to blink surprise making him want to stare at him with wide eyes not knowing how to process what he was being told then Qingling continued his thought, ‘It only took one of his brother’s telling him that you needed to learn from the experience that got him to begrudgingly stop but until you escaped showing you are strong in your own right did he stop his pacing.’

“How many brothers does he have?” Wei Ying finally questioned seeming to come to terms quickly even though Qingling could sense his disbelief. ‘Two, one is the ancestor of the Lan Sect and the other is the ancestor of the Jiang Sect.’ Qinglong answered.

Wei Ying stared at him for a moment before a brilliant grin lit up his features, “Well it honestly doesn’t surprise me that Lan Zhan is a descendant of one of the three main immortals…” Suddenly something occurred to Wei Ying making him stare at Qingling, “I am the grandson of Baoshan Sanran, my mother was her only daughter Changse Sanren.”

Qingling went quiet at that point then he questioned, ‘Was your grandmother the one that was said to be the only Immortal in your world?’

Wei Ying nodded then he swore that Qingling was smiling as he realized something as well, ‘She is the only child of the Jade Emperor, but no one knows except those of us who were there at her birth.’

Wei Ying once again had to force himself to blink as it became apparent that Qingling was right to say that he was a direct descendant of the Jade Emperor which explained his being upset to the point of revealing himself when he was tossed into the burial mounds.

Wei Ying could do nothing at that point but accept the truth, but he questioned, “Do I look anything like him?”

Qingling really looked at him for a moment taking in his facial structure as well as his general features, ‘Most definitely you have his eyes, and you look much the same way he was when he was younger.’

Wei Ying nodded then his eyes widened, “My mother always said I had my grandmother's eyes.”

Qingling nodded deciding to agree with him, ‘She did have his eyes when she was born so that doesn’t surprise me, I wonder why your mother didn’t get his eyes.’

Wei Ying shrugged then his head once again tilted as he decided to ask another question that had been bugging him, “Why did you save me this time when no one was allowed to save me last time?”

Qingling leaned a little forward making Wei Ying pull back so they weren’t so close alarming him, ‘The Jade emperor begged me to go to the burial mounds because someone was in grave danger…he wouldn’t tell me who it was. When I saw you though on the verge of giving in instinct kicked in as it normally does when the Jade Emperor is in danger.’

Wei Ying nodded deciding not to fight it anymore then he decided it was better to change the subject, “How am I going to get home if no one can get here?”

Qingling stared at him for a moment before he pulled his head back slightly, ‘Eventually, once I know you have recovered from the trauma you experienced including the mental and emotional damage I will take you to the Jade emperor’s palace so he can decide what to do with you as well as making it easier for your mate can find you as long as he can find the entrance to get here, that was more what you were asking correct?’

Wei Ying flushed before he looked at his hands, “Yes but I didn’t know how to voice it, I honestly can’t live without him it was his voice that gave me the strength to survive the first time I was in the burial mounds.”

Qingling nodded before he sighed, ‘It is not unusual for soul mates to be like that, it is however rare that soul mates make it let alone meet as you two did, you are incredibly lucky child.’

Wei Ying nodded before he questioned in alarm, “How long will it take for me to recover?”

‘It will take as long as it takes child, but I assure you that quite a bit of time can go by here, but a short amount of time can go by there.’ Qingling tried to reassure him.

“How long have I already been here?” Wei Ying questioned not realizing he had already questioned that.

Qingling decided to think about it for a moment, “I suppose it could have been perhaps a week or so because of the torture you endured you needed to recover what you lost, you slept through most of it.”

Wei Ying’s eyes widened in alarm and without thinking about it he flew to his feet, scaled over Qingling’s body as if it were not even there then he ran quickly towards the only light he could see. He nearly screamed when he got to it and quickly had to grab the wall of the entrance when he nearly fell right over the edge.

Suddenly a large paw went under him and he collapsed onto it his heart pounding in his ear’s as he looked over the edge of the paw noticing they were so high up that he couldn’t even see the ground. He quickly looked up knowing that Qingling was the one holding him, “I have to get back to Lan Zhan and A-Yuan. Lan Zhan must be so worried.” He managed to maneuver himself onto his knees before he bowed sobbing while he begged desperately, “Please Qingling let me go.”

Qingling pulled him back into the cave placing him on the floor before he curled around him resting his chin on his paw. Looking at him silently for a bit as Wei Ying continued to bow sobbing silently now, ‘Do you really think your mate can help you recover as easily as I can?’

Wei Ying looked up at him tear’s still streaming down his cheeks before he answered his voice breaking, “It won’t be easy in fact it may take a while to work through it all but I need him Qingling, he already had to experience what it was like for me to be missing…and who knows how long I was in the burial mounds this time…I can’t do this to him again.”

He bowed down this time with his forehead pressed into the floor begging with a broken voice for him to let him go.

Qingling watched him for a moment knowing if Wei Ying were not given permission he would keep asking over and over for him to let him go until he finally grew tired of it and he conceded.

Slowly he uncurled himself from around Wei Ying and stood beside him, ‘Your body is repaired as much as I can get it and because you are certain your mate can help you heal the rest of the way I will take you to the Jade emperor and see what he says about you returning.’

Wei Ying instantly sat up his eyes sparkling with still unshed tear’s then Qingling motioned for him to climb up on his back which Wei Ying did without hesitation sitting behind his head and his neck not curtain where he should hold on only to end up clinging desperately to him when he said sharply, ‘Hold on child.’

A scream caught in the back of his throat when Qingling sped out of the entrance of the cave moving at breakneck speed then his stomach seemed to drop out of his feet as he went straight down forcing him to clamp his knees and cling so tightly to whatever he could find at the point keeping his eyes closed so he didn’t see the ground rushing up to meet them until Qingling abruptly stopped a few inches from the ground before abruptly righting himself. He didn’t give him time to adjust before he righted himself and took off so fast that quite literally, he didn’t hear any sound.

Well, at least that was what he thought was happening it felt that way, or it was his body adjusting to being back to being on a level he was used to, or he just needed his ears to pop. This, of course, became apparent only when he decided to draw on the bravery and he slowly sat up and he looked around. He gasped in surprise which made it, so he heard Qingling chuckling at his reaction when he finally saw his surroundings.

Wei Ying looked around him in awe upon finding out they were moving through the air at a leisurely pace giving him a chance to see his surroundings. Everything was different than what he was used to vivid purples and blues and the light seemed to be a gentle he held out his hand having a strange sensation that he would physically be able to touch it then before he knew it, he wasn’t holding on anymore other than with his knees and he was holding out both of his hands his arms spread wide and his eyes were closed.

He had another strange urge to yell as loud as he could felt it build in the back of his throat, ‘If you need to scream or yell do it, your instincts are telling you that you need it to feel better.’

Wei Ying froze for a moment then he felt it bubbling at the back of his throat again but this time he didn’t hold it back he screamed at the top of his lungs until tears began streaming down his cheeks and he suddenly didn’t feel the urge to scream anymore it was as if his need to scream had been appeased making way for a strange sort of peace that he didn’t quite understand.

He was still crying by the time he opened his eyes and his arms went back to rest in front of him knowing he was still crying, then another urge bubbled in his chest until he was resting his cheek against Qingling’s neck and he began sobbing his whole body seeming to rock with the sobs making him whimper Lan Zhan’s name missing him so terribly that he felt it deep into his soul making it ache to the point that he couldn’t breathe. It took a little while for the sensation to pass but he lay there for a while taking in the heat from Qingling letting it soothe the pain he felt in his chest then gently Qingling questioned, ‘Feel better?’

“I don’t think I will until I am back in his arms.” Wei Ying answered thickly.

Qingling remained silent wanting nothing more than to fulfill Wei Ying’s wish to return to the young Lan’s side. Yes, he was a divine being, but he had sworn to follow the jade emperor even if he didn’t agree with him. Thus, he kept flying in the same direction he had started in feeling his heart breaking upon feeling as if Wei Ying was losing spirit upon realizing that he was not taking him out of where he had taken them.

When he landed in the large courtyard of a Grand palace, he felt Wei Ying’s heart break and everything in him fought against taking to the sky again to take Wei Ying out of there but before he could the door’s opened and Three men walked out.

He felt Wei Ying tense on his back as he looked upon the men in trepidation then he heard a breathless whisper of confusion upon seeing one of them, “Lan Zhan…” then confusion rolled off him as he realized the truth upon the one, he saw smiling at him showing he wasn’t who he thought he was.

“Welcome Young Master Wei, we have been awaiting your arrival for some time now.” The one who reminded him of Lan Zhan said gently carefully bowing in his direction shocking Wei Ying more than it should have.

Wei Ying remained rooted to the spot upon Qingling’s back not certain what to do at that point. Then he questioned suddenly confused, “Who are you all?”

A slight chuckle escaped the man who had spoken upon him realizing he hadn’t introduced himself, “Ah forgive me I am Tianzun Yuanshi…” He motioned towards the other two one who reminded him strongly of his uncle and his brother combined with his stern and yet kind demeanor, “This is my sworn brother Tianzun Lingbao…” Wei Ying’s eyes were drawn to the last person who was standing farther behind the others and he seemed far more relaxed then the other two their eyes met and Wei Ying felt himself shiver upon seeing the mischievous twinkle in his silver eyes as an easy grin played at his lips before he looked at Yuanshi spoke again motioning to the one who Wei Ying was looking at, “And My other sworn brother and our leader Tianzun Daode or as those in the mortal realm like to call him the Jade emperor.”

Wei Ying froze not certain how to respond to that now he knew who they were…what he didn’t understand was how they had always been depicted as old men sitting upon thrones…not these young men who to his eye couldn’t be any older than he was. Yes, he knew instinctively that they were older than he was but while his instincts said one thing his eyes were telling him another and he was getting overwhelmed.

He felt Qingling trembling under him and he realized the dragon was laughing again then he started pouting, “Don’t laugh at me Qingling I can’t help what I was taught all these years just like I was taught that dragon’s breathed fire and horded gold.”

‘That is my brother, my sister breathes ice and I help cultivators with their cores none of us are alike.’ Qingling chortled.

Wei Ying crossed his arms still refusing to get down off Qingling’s back in his own way protesting his being there when all he wanted to do was return to Lan Zhan.

Yuanshi seemed to catch onto this quickly before his golden eyes softened making Wei Ying gasp in shock, “I understand that this may be a shock child but seeing as my brother couldn’t keep himself from interfering, we have no choice but to decide what to do now that you have seen this realm.”

Wei Ying found himself blinking before he was suddenly furious. Then before he knew what he was doing he was landing lightly on the ground beside Qingling his silver eyes bleeding red as resentful energy suddenly surrounded him, “Who are you to decide my fate, just because he decided to interfere does not mean that any of you have the right to keep me from my son…to keep me from my cultivation partner or my family?”

Slowly the one called Daode stepped up standing in front of his sworn brothers his stance relaxed, “As expected of my great-grandson…I didn’t think you would just stand there and let us decide your fate without a fight thus I wish to extend an offer to you…It is not my intent to keep you from your son nor your cultivation partner however we also cannot let you just leave now that you have seen what no mortal cultivator has ever seen before…I one wish to get to know the one even my sworn brothers say reminds them of me and I wish to teach you how to control your abilities as only we would be able to…In exchange if your cultivation partner can find his way here and retrieve you without aid then I shall grant you leave and if you so wish it I will never bother you again.”

Wei Ying struggled not to reach for the flute which surprisingly was still attached to his side then he felt Qingling’s breath wash over him and the resentful energy slid off him making him take a slow easy breath. Carefully he looked between the three men in front of him before he questioned with a raised eyebrow, “And if I decline, what is stopping me from leaving on my own?”

Daode waved towards the entrance to the palace which had remained open the entire time making Wei Ying blink, “If you can get passed my sworn brothers and I then I shall allow you to leave if you so wish.”

Wei Ying blinked a bit confused at the offer then he heard the slightly muffled voice of Qingling mention, ‘Do not underestimate them child, looks can be very deceiving with them. They are legends for a reason.’

Wei Ying looked at him sharply as he thought, ‘They also should not underestimate me, I am not some weakling who doesn’t know how to fight.’

He felt Qingling’s breath on the top of his head as he chuckled not seeing Daode’s smile as he saw Wei Ying struggle not to accept his offer, ‘Just don’t say I didn’t warn you child.’

Wei Ying turned to Daode and the other’s noting that none of them had changed in their stances as if they were waiting. Daode on the other hand had a playful grin on his lips before he questioned seeming to find great amusement at the possibility of challenging him, “What is your choice Wei Wuxian, if you choose to take your chances against us and you fail in the attempt then you will be agreeing to stay and learn from us for however long it takes for your cultivation partner to try and find you? You will have to submit yourself to whatever lesson’s we have for you and whatever rules we put on you for the time you are here.”

Wei Ying felt a groan slip passed his throat before he could stop it which had them all looking at him strangely then they all looked at Qingling. It confused Wei Ying more than he wanted to admit when suddenly all the attention was drawn off of him, then before he could say anything Yuanshi had vaulted himself into the air and onto Qingling’s back and without a word they were in the air and Wei Ying saw his only chance to leave disappearing into the clouds.

He slowly turned to face the other two only to freeze in place when Daode started laughing, “Well there you have it perhaps it is best that you stay here for a bit Wei Wuxian your world is about to be shaken up once he is finished tearing down the wall of rules in Gusu.”

Wei Ying stared at him before he had to force himself to blink once, twice, three times then a brilliant grin split his features as he pictured the look on Grandmaster Lan’s Face when he had Yuanshi land in the center of Gusu as if he could on the back of a great dragon before he tore down the only thing that let him have control of those who entered cloud recesses.

He soon found himself doubling over in a fit of giggles each vision sillier then the last and though he knew that many of those who had grown up with the rules would still follow them as if they were still up the generations after would be able to live a fuller life once Yuanshi knocked some sense into Grandmaster Lan.

Soon he sobered up upon remembering where he was and he looked at Daode who tilted his head in question, “What is your decision child?”

Wei Ying remained silent every cell in his being was screaming at him to fight with ever ounce of strength he had left to leave this palace and get back to Lan Zhan and A-Yuan but another part of him, the part he had often had trouble controlling…the part that craved knowledge started biting at the bit until with a sigh he looked at Daode his eyes flickering between red and silver far too quickly for him to keep up, “I shall agree but I have a few conditions of my own.”

Lingbao seemed to get a look that he had often seen on Jiang Cheng’s face when he was about to blow up only for Daode to hold his hand up, “Speak I shall listen to your terms, whether I will agree to them is yet to be seen and also depends on your terms.”

Wei Ying started speaking and by the time he was done Daode was doubling over in fit of laughter. Soon he was standing up a brilliant grin on his lips, “Very well I see no point in not agreeing to your terms Wei Wuxian they do not seem so difficult to accommodate in fact they seem like simple terms…” he gave Wei Ying a calculating look before he questioned, “What are you hiding?”

“As much as I wish to return to my partner, I realized my only means just flew away, your palace is above the ground on a floating mountain and if I were to try and jump, I would meet my death before I even hit the bottom by suffocation or by hitting the tree’s. I have little choice but to wait for the return of Qingling, as well as my thirst for knowledge has always been rather strong even if I find it difficult to sit still for lengthy periods of time.” Wei Ying sighed in exasperation and resignation.

Daode tilted his head then he nodded and made a motion towards the palace which doors opened on their own, “Let us get you cleaned up then child, those robes of yours look as if they are about to fall apart. Also, you need a bath and some rest.”

Lingbao of course chose that moment to protest, “Daode you should not take him at his word he is using Yang energy as if it was Yin, he could be being controlled by it and it is dangerous to bring him within the jade palace.”

Daode looked at Lingbao sharply his eyes flashing angrily, “What do you expect we do with him hmm? He can’t very well sleep in the courtyard or the stable because we don’t have one…besides, he is my great-grandson and I refuse to turn him away.”

Wei Ying shrunk into himself feeling Lingbao’s words like they were a physical blow to his heart reiterating what he already thought about himself, but one thing didn’t make any sense which had him questioning weakly, “Yang energy what are you talking about?”

Daode looked at him an amused grin playing at his lips, “The energy you wielded a moment ago child is what we used to call Yang energy, you now all call it resentful energy more than likely because many have forgotten how to control it…” The grin faded before he looked back at Lingbao, “This is another reason we need to try and teach him the last thing he needs is to be abandoned to something he doesn’t even understand.”

Wei Ying stood there quietly as they continued to argue about whether to let him in only listening with half an ear as he started to put two and two together realizing that at the back of the library in the Jiang Sect the book that Madam Yu had caught him reading at one point and punished him severely had mentioned Yin and Yang energies, he had never gotten the chance to finish it. By the time he had recovered enough to search for the book again it had been moved, he couldn’t remember who the author was, but it was part of the reason he had the idea that resentful energy could be controlled for some reason that book had stuck with him.

“The essentials of Yin and Yang energies and how to control them…” he muttered not realizing the other two had stopped arguing then Lingbao questioned his voice suddenly curious, “What did you say?”

Wei Ying looked at him sharply only then realizing he had been heard and he repeated, “The essentials of Yin and Yang energies and how to control them.”

Lingbao and Daode exchanged a look before Lingbao looked back at Wei Ying a look on his face that reminded him strongly of Jiang Cheng which made his heart clench, “Only my descendants were in possession of that book how do you know of its existence?”

“I was raised by Jiang Fengman and Madam Yu, I am the honorary brother to the new Sect leader, Jiang Cheng and his right hand.” Wei Ying answered seeming to make it not seem a big deal.

Wei Ying flinched when Lingbao nearly exploded, “That is impossible, there is no way that my descendants would somehow manage to take in the descendant of Daode without some sort of interference.”

Wei Ying smirked his eyes sparkling in mischief, “Impossible you say, well as Uncle Jiang always taught me to attempt the impossible. I was raised to do so with everything I do and by the time I was fifteen even though everyone said it was impossible I became the head disciple which allowed me the chance to remain at the side of Jiang Cheng to protect him as I wanted to once, we were old enough to know what that meant.”

Lingbao gave him a bewildered look then his jaw clenched before he was tossing him a sword that he pulled out from behind him, “Prove it for only the head disciple of my grandson would know the secret technique passed down only so he could protect the next leader properly.”

Wei Ying caught the sword easily then with a smooth move he drew the sword testing the weight and balance before he stepped back holding the sword aloft his eyes sparkling before he focused on the resentful energy pushing it as far down as he could get it to go so it wouldn’t come to the surface while he fought as he had been taught all his life to do.

When he looked at Lingbao once again he attacked and without hesitation he parried, and the spar began Daode leaned up against a nearby pillar somehow knowing that it would be a while before Lingbao would be satisfied that Wei Ying was who he said he was. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Wei Ying fought his attacks flawless while also being slightly dramatic trying to draw the eye and distract the opponent which worked a few times and infuriated Lingbao.

In the end Lingbao lost due to him letting his anger get the best of him, with a few enormously powerful strikes from Wei Ying he managed to hit his sword out of his hand then while he ended up getting distracted, he swept his feet out from under him and now he stood over him with his sword against his throat.

Lingbao held his hands up in surrender which had Wei Ying grinning before he sheathed the sword and reached down to help him back up to his feet getting an impressed look from Lingbao, “You truly are who you say you are, only someone taught specifically by my descendant would know those moves.”

“Grandmaster Lingbao I do not lie when it comes to my upbringing I am very proud of who raised me…Do I wish sometimes that Madam Yu wasn’t so harsh…” he slowly nodded his head but a soft look filled his eyes, “But at the same time I wouldn’t change a thing it was her insistence that I keep pushing farther and harder I never would have been able to be there for Jiang Cheng…I think somehow she knew what my actual intention was but had refused to admit to it after so long.”

“Who was Madam Yu?” Lingbao questioned after he went to retrieve his sword blinking in surprise upon finding it embedded in the wall of the palace.

“She was Uncle Jiang’s Wife mother of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli my siblings…” When Lingbao looked back at Wei Ying he looked slightly sheepish as he looked at the sword that had been embedded in the wall and he quickly apologized, “Forgive me grandmaster Lingbao, apparently I ended up gleaning that from my cultivation partner.”

Lingbao called his sword to him tilting his head in question making Wei Ying explain, “He is an immensely powerful cultivator in fact one of the most powerful of my generation even I can’t compare to his prowess in battle. One of his techniques is when he manages to get your weapon out of your hand it always manages to be embedded somewhere difficult to remove it from.”

“Who is your cultivation partner Wei Wuxian?” Daode questioned suddenly standing up from where he was leaning against the pillar.

“Lan Wangji.” Wei Ying stated proudly.

Both Daode and Lingbao exchanged a look which had Wei Ying on edge the moment they both looked back at him. Then Daode had an easy grin on his lips again, “Well I believe you have proven yourself to be the head disciple of his grandson and I doubt now that he will prevent you access to the jade palace due to you being his honorary great-grandson…” Daode shot Lingbao a pointed look.

Lingbao took a moment to think then with a sigh he said, “We will set him up in the west wing where he will be safe…” Wei Ying shivered of course at the way he said safe because it made him feel as if he wasn’t saying it regarding him but for some other reason that he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Daode shot him a brilliant grin then he winked at Wei Ying before he grabbed his arm and dragged him through the once again open doors of the palace.

A few hours later Wei Ying found himself laying curled up upon a larger than necessary bed pilled with pillows and covered in yards of silk and satin. It felt strange against his overly sensitive skin after he had taken a bath.

He had been dragged quite literally by Daode to the wing he would be staying in. He was shown where the bathroom was. When he walked in Daode took one look at him and he said, “Go ahead and take a bath I shall go and get some robes that should fit you, the ones you have on seem to be on their last legs…is there anything you wish to keep of your wardrobe?”

Wei Ying looked down at himself taking note of the several items on his person, “The belt the wrist guards…” he trailed off when he saw the ribbon that was wrapped around his wrist and his heart lurched as he held it up to his eye level before he breathed tears in his eyes, “Lan Zhan.”

Daode gave him a moment before he said gently breaking his concentration noticing he was holding his wrist with the starkly contrasting ribbon wrapped around it against his chest, “Anything you wish to keep place on the bench, the rest I will replace. The soaps and hair wash are by the tub activate the talisman to make the water come out hot and take your time.”

Wei Ying nodded and Daode left him alone. Slowly Wei Ying disrobed finding it difficult to convince himself to take the forehead ribbon from around his wrist and the moment he did he wanted nothing more than to put it back on feeling far more naked than he had with his clothes off. He shivered as he placed the rest of the destroyed robes near the door keeping what he couldn’t lose on the bench and activated the talisman only to nearly jump out of his skin the moment the water came flowing out of a strange faucet into the tub filling it with steaming water. Once it was full the water stopped on its own and he stood there staring at the water as if it might jump out and bite him, not certain if he trusted water that came out of nowhere.

Soon however the appeal of a hot bath overrode his trepidation and he slid into the water. At first everything was fine the heat felt good against his skin, his muscles he hadn’t realized were aching relaxed and he felt himself sigh in relief as he finally started to feel human when he started to wash his hair and his skin. After he was done, he was about to relax only to see something out of the corner of his eye, something on the water that made him freeze.

When he realized what it was, it finally hit him where he had barely escaped from again, his body jerked as his hands flew to his mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to escape. His mind screamed at him to move but his body refused to listen as his vision began to blur. Suddenly he was pulled out of the water wrapped in a warm robe and pulled against a strong chest, “Shh Wei Ying you're not there anymore just breathe.”

He tried several times to breathe but he couldn’t seem to get enough air into his lungs and his vision began to spot, “Focus on my voice child, count with me and fix your breathing with mine…one…two…three breathe.”

He did and slowly he felt like his lungs were no longer burning from lack of air but his vision had yet to stop spotting, “Now Wei Ying focus for a moment, fix your senses on your surroundings what does it smell like…what does it sound like…what do you hear describe it to me.”

He wasn’t certain exactly who it was that was telling him to do this but he figured seeing as he could now breathe without pain, functioning on instinct alone as a means of survival he followed the instructions and carefully described his surroundings until finally his mind cleared and he found himself clinging to the front of Daode’s robes as if he was a lifeline his knuckles white. His entire body was trembling, and he was barely keeping himself from falling as he did this.

“There you are…” Daode started surprised that Wei Ying had not pushed him away yet not knowing he had not gained any strength in his limbs.

“What happened?” Wei Ying finally questioned his voice trembling.

“I heard you screaming, when I got here you were frozen stiff but still screaming through your hands that were clamped over your mouth.” Daode answered.

Wei Ying slowly unlocked his limbs feeling awkward but before he could turn to figure out what to do with the water Daode waved his hand and the water began to drain making him look at him confused, “Where does the water come from and go to?”

“The spring that run’s behind the palace we channel it with talismans where we need it then send it back when we are done with it so it can do what it does best.” Daode answered.

Wei Ying looked at him in alarm, “No, you don’t want that in the water it will poison the earth here everything will die!” he exclaimed.

Daode looked at Wei Ying calmly, “There was nothing in the water Wei Ying when I pulled you out, I checked to see what had sent you into a panic and all I saw was some black dirt…”

“Black dirt from the burial mounds, a place in the mortal world that is filled with so much resentment that it even fills the dirt…that little bit of dirt…” Wei Ying felt the panic rising again before he thought about what Daode had said, “That little bit of dirt will…” Daode grabbed his cheeks forcing him to look at him making him blink in surprise, “The moment it touched that water Wei Ying it was purified that was why Lingbao suggested this wing it helps to channel Yang energy and purify it when it is too concentrated.”

Now that he thought back to it, he should have been better prepared for what was going to happen when he took a bath, steeled himself for the reaction to seeing the dirt in the bath. However, all that he had gone through had exhausted him beyond what he was capable of fully handling and by the time he realized what was happening it was too late.

Carefully he curled himself around one of the many pillows on the bed keeping his wrist in sight which now had Lan Zhan’s forehead ribbon wrapped around it once more. He had barely registered Daode helping him get into a set of sleeping robes before he was leading him towards the bed that he now lay in. As he lay there in a half daze, he fiddled with the ribbon on his wrist tear’s filling his eyes as he curled up tighter around the pillow, “Lan Zhan please don’t give up, please keep searching until you find me.”


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lan Zhan is somewhat ooc in this chapter but only because of something that occurs once he finds out that Wei Ying has disappeared.

Chapter Three

Lan Zhan found himself waking up slowly the next morning finding himself curled up behind Wei Ying who held A-Yuan against his chest. Briefly, he wanted to stay in bed drawn to the warmth that laying behind Wei Ying provided…it, of course, wasn’t just his warmth that made him wish to stay…the relaxed look on his face the innocence of his face as he slept drew him in reminding him of when they first met…though he also remembered quite clearly the mischief sparkling in his eyes or when he was about to do something he wasn’t supposed to the concentration as if he was trying to decide if it would be a good idea or not.

He, of course, had begun to watch out for the signs that Wei Ying was about to do something to upset his uncle or the others. Then he began to find ways to stop it from happening…perhaps that was when his obsession began. At first, he was furious with the only person he had ever known to challenge everything he had ever known…then at some point, the anger was replaced with something else, during their month-long isolation in the library pavilion or before he couldn’t really pinpoint when everything changed for him.

He started craving seeing his smiles that made him feel warm all over or the occasional time he would reach out and try to touch him. Obviously, he avoided it but no one knew how hard it was to continually avoid his touch, having been craving it but then the pout Wei Ying got after he avoided his touch seemed to make it even more difficult not to reach out and touch him as he had been wanting to do.

Only his brother caught what was going on with him it became even more apparent when one time he had caught him moving his hand to touch Wei Ying, as he was pouting at him avoiding his touch but the moment, he realized he was being watched he quickly moved his hand behind his back clenching it until his nails dug into his skin which grounded him before he started reciting the rules in his head.

It, of course, became even harder not to do anything stupid when they had been begun to travel together In search of the Yin Iron…sleeping in the same room as him had him restless throughout the night until finally he very briefly gave in to his need to touch Wei Ying until he found himself beside the bed where he was sleeping and ever so carefully sat down beside him his heart catching in his throat when instinctively Wei Ying moved closer to him as if sensing him. He reached down with a trembling hand before carefully pushing some of his loose hair behind his ear.

He immediately yanked his hand back when Wei Ying chased the sensation in his sleep then pouted when he didn’t find it. Lan Zhan quickly left his side terrified by the feelings that were rushing through his blood the moment he finally gave in to his need to touch him. Then he felt bad about it knowing that he had broken one of the rules he had been following since he could walk.

His heart also clenched when he realized he had violated Wei Ying’s trust by touching him when he didn’t know about it. He had lain there for a while trying to get his breathing under control only for it to be impossible which had him sitting up and quickly getting into the Lotus position and forcing his body under control so he could meditate, ‘If only you knew how difficult it is not to give into you Wei Ying.’ He thought bitterly before his mind went blank as he easily slipped into a deep state of meditation.

As he thought about this a streak of melancholy hit him as he watched Wei Ying sleeping. Then he felt the overwhelming feeling that he should not leave that day as if something were going to happen while he was gone.

He didn’t listen as he slid out of the bed and went to get ready for his day knowing he wasn’t going to be able to do his normal training because he had to leave for Gusu right away to get there before the crowds began showing up. He put the scrolls he had separated from the others into the quakin bag at his side before he very carefully moved A-Yuan out of Wei Ying’s grasp knowing it would help him to concentrate if he wasn’t focusing on A-Yuan. A small smile appeared on his lips when he realized that he would do that just because he could.

He quietly changed the sleepy infant and knew he fell back asleep clinging to the front of his robes as he leaned down and kissed Wei Ying’s temple smiling slightly when he chased the sensation even though he was out cold. He mumbled something unintelligible as he moved now that he had the room spreading himself across the bed at the same time as burying his face in the pillow while he burrowed under the blanket.

Lan Zhan once again had the same feeling that told him he should not be leaving that something was going to happen once he was no longer there to stop it. He reached forward and gently brushed his hand over Wei Ying’s hair as he said softly, “I have to go Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying mumbled something again and for all, he knew it could have been acknowledgment before he burrowed farther into the blankets.

He took one more longing look at Wei Ying before he walked over to grab the item that Wei Ying had managed to create to make it easier to carry A-Yuan on long trips as well as carry the item’s needed. It held him against the chest allowing for the chance to wrap their robes around him, so he felt secure while remaining warm while also giving them freedom of the use of their hands. He felt a small smile creep up on him as he slid A-Yuan into it, noting the fact that he seemed to not struggle as he snuggled into his chest as he secured it with ease before putting the other items he would need throughout the day.

It should not surprise him how brilliant Wei Ying was still but each time he produced things such as what he was using now, he found himself surprised by how innovative he was when he needed something to make their lives simpler. He honestly didn’t know when he had found the time to create this item with everything, he did every day, but he was grateful he did for he knew it would make his day easier.

After he knew he had not forgotten anything he looked over at Wei Ying again feeling the same sensation of foreboding fill his vein’s with ice about leaving, he brushed it aside thinking it was only because they had not been away from each other for more than a night since he had found him during the war. He walked over to him one last time pulling the part of the blanket that had been dislodged in his movements over his shoulder and quietly left knowing that Wei Ying would want to sleep if he could.

The sense of foreboding hit him even harder when he noted the lack of guards near Wei Ying’s room and for a moment, he could not get his sword to cooperate with him about hovering because of his trepidation about leaving and it clattered to the ground instead of doing what it would normally do.

When A-Yuan started to stir feeling his distress he knew he had to do something, so he took a few deep breathes, carefully cleared his thoughts recanting the Lan Sect rules until finally his sword hovered in the air as it was supposed to, and A-Yuan once again settled. He stepped upon it making sure to keep his mind clear so he didn’t have any more mishaps with his sword not cooperating; especially once he was in the air and took to the sky knowing it would be dangerous. He refused to risk A-Yuan’s life just because he didn’t want to leave Wei Ying having grown attached as his uncle would put it at an unhealthy degree if he couldn’t control himself to the point his sword would not cooperate.

If he knew what he knew now perhaps he would have listened to the little voice in the back of his head that told him not to leave, the part of his heart that told him not to leave Wei Ying…but he felt that he was being silly. He also heard his uncle telling him that he was letting his emotions get in the way of what he needed to do, but later once he found out the truth, he would feel like he could never forgive him.

He got to Gusu sooner than he thought he would and once he got there, he found his brother waiting for him. He kept his sense that something was wrong to himself and kept his mask in place as he set up for speaking to the town people about their concerns prepared to use the tools, he had learned from Wei Ying, so he didn’t frighten them away.

What he wasn’t aware of was the look of pride his brother got as he addressed the people with empathy and kindness allowing them to speak without coldness in his eyes or tone of voice which made them comfortable enough to speak their concerns. He didn’t know if it were the fact that he had been around the infant who he knew could change even the coldest of people or the influence of Wei Ying who had changed him. Perhaps it was a combination, but he was grateful to both for it made him feel like his brother had actually come out of the shell he had built around himself after their mother’s death.

Later that evening when they were done, he became aware of the frantic air in which Lan Zhan packed his supplies which had him walking over and carefully touching his shoulder making him jump in alarm while looking at him with wide eyes as he paused, “A-Zhan is everything alright?”

Lan Zhan seemed reluctant to tell him until Lan Xichen questioned softly, “Why don’t we talk anymore you used to tell me everything?”

Lan Zhan sighed then he looked back at the items he was getting ready as if he couldn’t look at him anymore, “This morning when I was leaving, I felt as if it was a mistake to leave Wei Ying alone, I don’t know if it was because we haven’t been apart for more than a night since the war, but the feeling hasn’t gone away. Now that we are done the feeling is back full force and I need to get back to see why it's so strong.”

Lan Xichen looked at him in alarm, “Why did you not say anything?”

Lan Zhan looked at him sharply, “Do you know what uncle would have told me if I had not showed up brother, or if I had left in the middle of this?”

“He is your cultivation partner Lan Wangji I couldn’t care less if uncle tells you that you have to leave the Sect. He would be overruled by me if he even tries Wei Wuxian takes first priority, with everything that has happened to him and all those that have threatened him that feeling you had is more than likely means that something is wrong…” Lan Xichen exclaimed making Lan Zhan drop everything in his hands looking at him in alarm, “Get going Lan Wangji if something has happened then Uncle will not hear the end of it for not explaining to you the significance of Cultivation partners. If something did happen, I do not care how long it takes you do not return here until you find him. I will take over your duties or I will make uncle do it for making it, so something happened to Wei Ying because you didn’t understand your role in his life.”

Lan Zhan nodded forgetting the items he was getting ready to take in favor of getting his sword ready to leave. Giving Lan Xichen one last grateful look he nearly took off only for Lan Xichen to say, “Remember Lan Zhan if something has happened do not return here until you either avenge him or find him.”

Lan Zhan blinked at him confused for a moment before he questioned curious, “Why do you not feel the same way Uncle does about Wei Ying?”

Lan Xichen smiled gently at him, “If I am remembering correctly at one point, I told you that I felt good about him, he has a good personality and amazing skills in spiritual energy…even when he started using Resentful energy, he was stunning…it should not have surprised me he is rather brilliant.”

Lan Zhan nodded then without another word he took to the sky and despite wanting to get back to Lotus Pier as fast as he could he needed not to drain his spiritual energy in case something had happened to Wei Ying.

When he got back, he felt his heart plummet when he found everyone including every townsperson standing in the middle of the Sect house listening to Jiang Cheng who was barking orders in frantic words trembling from head to toe. When he landed Jiang, Cheng looked at him sharply then he pushed his way past them as he whistled sharply which made two horses come running in their direction, “Finally you arrived Lan Wangji, Wei Ying disappeared we need to find him.”

Lan Zhan felt his blood drain from his face as he stumbled where he stood then he was jumping smoothly onto the back of the horse as it ran up to him in unison with Jiang Chang neither stopping them as they took off out of the gates not waiting for anyone to catch up with them. His sword was in his hand a second later when they got outside of Yunmeng heading outside of lotus Pier by land when they were surrounded by fierce corpses of varying states of decay.

Jiang Cheng and he exchanged a look and they both used the horses to their advantages as they fought glad, they had been trained to not startle when they had people fighting on their backs, nor when beasts surrounded them. They fought hard and even the horses worked with them kicking and headbutting them to give them a chance to maneuver on their backs then when they were all decapitated or no longer moving, they took off. They were heading towards the unclean realm first knowing that Nie Mingjue would help search for Wei Ying for he had grown fond of Wei Ying during the war.

It took several days to arrive due to them having to stop to take care of A-Yuan who Lan Zhan had forgotten he had due to his being frantic to leave. When they arrived Nie Mingjue took one look at the horses and the looks on their faces and he questioned waving a few servants to retrieve their horses and bring them new ones, “What happened?”

“Wei Ying is missing.” Jiang Cheng answered.

Nie Mingjue stared at him for a moment, “Wait explain this to me slowly I thought he was being watched closely especially after everything that has happened since carp tower.”

So, Jiang Cheng explained carefully what had happened that day some of it was what both Nie Mingjue and Lan Zhan knew. However, when Lan Zhan heard that Jiang Yanli didn’t see anything wrong with him not stirring at the mention of her soup his blood went cold in his veins. He honestly couldn’t blame her for misunderstanding it because of how odd he had been acting since the war and how little he had been interacting with them.

Nie Mingjue nodded then with a growl he said, “Move on to some of the smaller clan’s I shall put together a small group of my best trackers with all of us working together we shall find him…whoever has him will regret laying their hands on him.”

Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan nodded then when new horses were brought to them, they climbed onto them quickly and without another word and took off. Nie Mingjue looked on with sadness before he looked back at Nie Huaisang who had tears in his eyes, “I hope he is alright.”

Nie Mingjue remained silent for a moment then with conviction he stated, “If no one else is able to I have no doubt that Lan Wangji will be able to make sure of it. And if anyone is at fault for it I pity the one who harmed him they will regret it by the time he is done with them.”

Nie Huaisang nodded calming down at his words, “Go brother I shall keep an eye on the Sect while you help search for Wei Ying, I know you have grown fond of him because he proved himself worthy during the SunShot campaign as no one else did.”

Nie Mingjue seemed about to protest but Nie Huaisang shook his head, “Brother please don’t, I know how you are. Its few who impress you like he has, though I understand more than you think, Wei Ying is remarkable in that way. He surprises everyone with the things he is capable of and it is what drew Lan Wangji to him in the first place.”

Nie Mingjue nodded glad that Nie Huaisang seemed to understand him so well then, he went to gather a few of his best trackers and soon they were all on their way to Lotus Pier to help in the search for Wei Ying.

Unfortunately for Lan Zhan it would take them nearly a week to return to Lotus pier to begin the search which had him in a foul mood due to how many clan’s they had to get together to help in the search…though they had gone for several reasons one is they had also searched them for Wei Ying finding no trace of him which left him bereft.

When they arrived at lotus Pier Nie Mingjue had been controlling search parties in their absence which had turned up empty Since for some unknown reason the overabundance of fierce corpses which seemed to be never ending. By the time they arrived it seemed that the town was holed up in the Sect house while they were surrounded by a horde of corpses that seemed to be waiting for something.

Once they heard them, they turned and raced towards them and they had to fight their way towards them not noticing the group of cultivators that had come out of Lotus Pier to assist them. Then just as quickly as the fight began it ended as the corpses seemed to disappear. Everyone stumbled where they stood looking around in bewilderment.

Slowly and tiredly, they went into the sect house to regroup hoping that they would find a way passed the corpses eventually. Once they got inside with the gates closed someone got Lan Zhan’s as well as Jiang Cheng’s attention and they went up to look which had Jiang Cheng cursed as he noticed that the corpses had returned, they didn’t even seem to be attacking just surrounding them.

He looked back at Nie Mingjue, “What are they doing?”

“They have been doing this for the last Week, whenever we try to leave, they attack but when we return to the Sect house, they just loiter out there as if they have nothing better to do.” Nie Mingjue answered tiredly.

Lan Zhan stared at him coldly then with ice in his tone he demanded, “So there was no progress in finding his location?”

Nie Mingjue shook his head not surprised at his fury he was still furious at himself for how little progress he had when it came to locating Wei Ying. He just hoped that wherever he was that he wasn’t dead.

Lan Zhan got down from the place he was and quietly took A-Yuan to Wei Ying’s room looking around for any clue that could have been left behind once he had gotten A-Yuan asleep he lit a few candles then looking around the room not missing a single detail.

He felt an odd feeling that he was missing something especially because everything in the room seemed perfectly normal Wei Ying’s sword was in its place in the sword holder…his flute was gone. Apparently, he had been getting ready for his day when he had disappeared for his hairbrush had been moved from where he had placed it and a few ribbons had been moved around in the box on the dressing table. The closet was open and Wei Ying’s less fancy robes were missing as well as his boots.

Then it hit him when he looked at the bed…Wei Ying never made the bed. He scrambled to it tossing the blankets to the floor before his hand flew to his mouth to stop himself from crying out, blood a lot of it…quickly he had to clear his mind as he realized that though there was a lot of blood that it was a message, and he knew it was written quickly which is why there seemed to be a lot of blood.

‘Lan Zhan if you are reading this, I am sorry, you may be too late everyone may be too late…They came back…I may not even remember writing this. They are angry that I bested them, the one who said he is my ancestor lied he is one of the worst of them and he was getting angrier and angrier that I was getting control of the Resentment. So when you left I felt it he and the others were going to take the opportunity that was presented…They are taking me back and I can’t stop it, my core is not strong enough to protect myself from how strong they are…I’m sorry Lan Zhan I truly do love you but I don’t think I will survive it this time…please if I don’t survive it take care of A-Yuan and protect Jiang Cheng and Shijie don’t let them mourn me for too long. If I could have Lan Zhan, I would have married you, I would have found a way of carrying your child, but I fear that won’t happen it’s not my fate to survive this. They will use you and A-Yuan against me so I need you both to remain alive so I have something to hold onto to remain strong if I do survive, try and find me so my soul can rest or at least try and find me if you can before they kill me but if not don’t follow me because A-Yuan needs you to be his father if I can’t. Tell everyone I love them. Also thank you for the beautiful memories you gave me.’

Quickly he got A-Yuan who luckily remained sleep before he activated a talisman to keep the massage from smudging then he ran out of the room forgoing all the rules of the Lan Clan even when he went to Nie Mingjue’s room he opened the door without knocking startling Nie Mingjue who was in the middle of getting ready for bed having already had a long day. He took one look at Lan Zhan who was frantic, but he quickly got over his anger upon seeing that his normal calm if not cold indifference was gone, “What happened?”

“I found out where he is!’’ Lan Zhan answered his voice so thick that tears filled his eyes.

Nie Mingjue didn’t even pull on his robe he waved Lan Zhan towards the door telling him to show him what he meant. Lan Zhan quickly nodded then he hurriedly led the way back to Wei Ying’s room and he tossed a talisman to light all the candles around the bed before he waved Nie Mingjue to look at the bed.

When he looked at the bed Nie Mingjue’s heart plummeted before he looked at Lan Zhan now understanding why he looked devastated, “Don’t lose heart Lan Wangji now that we know where he is, we can go and retrieve him.”

Lan Zhan looked at him his façade of indifference completely broken, “You do not understand, he felt like he was losing himself to the spirits before he got taken. He took revenge as he and they wanted and now that he didn’t have the seal to control them anymore, they were furious and now they wanted revenge for him besting them. He also now has more for them to use against him, and if they succeed in breaking his spirit then that will be the end of him, and we know what happens to those who lose heart at the burial mounds.”

Nie Mingjue had never known how to deal with anyone who seemed utterly broken as Lan Zhan seemed to be and he found himself feeling utterly bewildered by it. It was also worse that the one person who seemed to be the most untouchable seemed to be the one who truly seemed to be the one who felt the deepest.

He stood there not knowing what to do only to sigh in relief when his salvation showed up in appearance of Jiang Yanli who took one look at Lan Zhan and knew what to do, “Lan Wangji you need to take a few deep breathes and clear your mind, the last thing A-Xian needs is for you to be breaking down like this.”

Lan Zhan looked at her his golden eyes filled with a panicked glow, “You wouldn’t say that if you saw what he wrote, there is too much blood and he seems to have already given up.” When his voice broke in the middle of his sentence Yanli looked at Nie Mingjue who waved her silently to the bed.

Slowly she walked over to it and carefully she read what Wei Ying had written her heart breaking the more she read but then the stubbornness that was born from being raised by the scarlet spider kicked in and she squared her shoulders knowing she needed to get Lan Zhan to see reason.

She turned on him and despite tear’s being in her eyes she said sharply, “Lan Wangji he wrote what he did out of desperation if there is anything, we both know about him it's that he doesn’t give up that easily. So, don’t you dare give up on him either or I will never forgive you and regret having entrusted him into your care. Now get this cleaned up and get some rest we will reconvene in the morning so that we can work on how to get him back have I my made myself clear!”

It took a moment for her words to reach Lan Zhan and by the time they did she saw him straighten up and though his mask no longer seemed able to return to its place as it had been, he seemed calmer. He still had a frantic look in his eyes, but he seemed willing to think logically, “I shall do as you say Lady Jiang thank you for your guidance.”

“Now do you need me to take A-Yuan so that you can do as you need to do for the evening?” Yanli questioned.

Lan Zhan shook his head firmly, “No, he asked that I care for him in his absence and I shall do so in his absence which means I shall not leave him in others care unless it is absolutely imperative that I do so.”

“What will you do with him when we go to search for him?” Nie Mingjue inquired a bit alarmed by this.

Lan Zhan didn’t hesitate with his answer, “For the last week Sect Leader and I have been traveling I have had him with me, and I have been able to care for him perfectly fine and kept him safe just as Wei Ying did when we had no choice but to defend ourselves. I wasn’t even aware of the fact that I had him we left so quickly that night.”

Nie Mingjue and Yanli knew they had no right to say anything about what he wanted to do with A-Yuan especially when they had both seen Wei Ying’s request that Lan Zhan care for him in their absence. If they genuinely thought about it he was in no less danger with Lan Zhan on the road then he was when he was flying on his sword towards Gusu and he hadn’t had any mishaps. Thus, they both nodded and left him alone knowing he was now more levelheaded enough to do what he needed to so they could figure out what to do to rescue Wei Ying.

Once she left Lan Zhan took a moment to collect himself before he looked down at A-Yuan who looked like he was about to cry his bottom lip just beginning to quiver while tears were filling his eyes. Instantly he felt a strength fill him knowing he needed to put up a strong front if not for himself for the infant Wei Ying had place in his charge.

That had been Wei Ying’s reason for doing it, he truly wouldn’t be surprised if it was Wei Ying despite his reputation never actually planned…well except when it came to A-Yuan he hadn’t hesitated in claiming him as his own. However, when it came to other things of importance Wei Ying was never one to do things on a whim.

Thus, it would not surprise him if it had come after great thought on his part and many times of thinking that if anything happened to him that he should give him a reason not to lose heart in the form of the child who needed him to be strong in the absence of what he had come to see as the other half of his soul. No, he could not diminish the value of A-Yuan he had fit into his life like another puzzle piece that he hadn’t known was missing until he had called him Dada the first time…or until Wei Ying had included him into the world that was just his and the infants.

He could no longer see his life without either of them in it. However, his heart was begging him with a desperation that made him forget how to breathe for a moment to forget about everything else and find Wei Ying before it was too late.

He was drawn from his thoughts by a slight whimper from the child in his arms then his eyes softened when he questioned his unshed tear’s making his voice thick, “Papa?”

“I will find him A-Yuan.” Lan Zhan stated not allowing himself to show how hopeless he himself felt at the statement especially with the fact that he had read what Wei Ying had not said which had broken his heart.

When A-Yuan looked up at him with a hope he himself couldn’t seem to muster despite everything he knew about Wei Ying glittering in his eyes having the complete faith of a child he felt hope bloom in his chest startling a gasp out of him. How could A-Yuan accomplish what no one else had been able to? Or was it just the fact that he could see the faith that he had lost track of in his panic at Wei Ying’s disappearance when he looked at the child.

He felt a mixture of guilt and yet hope as A-Yuan moved to rest his cheek against his chest burying his nose in his neck the way Wei Ying normally did before he fell asleep again as only a child could do amid chaos. Something occurred to Lan Zhan thought this though which brought a slight grin to his lips, ‘Well not just children can fall asleep during chaos, Wei Ying can as well I still do not understand how he does it.’

He cradled A-Yuan gently in his arms humming a song that had become second nature to him one that had become something that would only be their little families, no one else would ever hear it and he would make sure of it. He didn’t stop humming until A-Yuan relaxed fully into his grip and he went lax against his chest and breath even.

Carefully he lay him in his bed and placed the talismans around his crib to keep him from being disturbed while he tried working on what to do from that point on. Once he was secure in the knowledge, he would not wake up he walked over to the bed his hands shaking as he stripped the bed knowing that even the blankets were soiled due them being thrown over the blood on the sheets.

He fought the way his heart pounding in his ears made his head spin before he found something to put the soiled linens in before placing them outside the door. He watched silently as a servant came and gathered them with a sympathetic look which told him that they somehow knew what had happened then another one arrived with a new set of bedding in a color which should have surprised him. Perhaps it shouldn’t have with the fact they were sympathetic to his plight, but upon seeing the crimson silk sheets in the servants arms he had the overwhelming urge to reach out and touch them reverently strongly reminded of Wei Ying’s inner robes.

That was the reason they had thought to bring them to help him endure his absence he looked at them slightly bewildered and all he could choke out was, “Why?”

“These were Young Master Wei’s Favorite set of Sheet’s in his absence he would wish his cultivation partner comfort. The ones that were originally on his bed were not his idea but that of Sect Leader Jiang, thinking you would not appreciate crimson Sheets. Perhaps this will also ease your sleep tonight so you can do what you need to in order find him tomorrow since they are a part of his colors.” The servant explained gently. Lan Zhan had to force himself to blink not fully understanding how someone could be so understanding and do something to this extent for someone she didn’t know. 

He half expected her to ignore his obvious look of disbelief only for her to mention with a sigh making him realize it was not completely about him, “I know what Young Master Wei Is like he is a kind soul but when it comes to you he is frightening he would want you well taken care of in his absence…” she trailed off for a moment her eyes softening as she realized what that may have sounded like before she added.

“My Son’s Wife went missing last year during the war and I remember the only thing that helped him cope due to him being a non-cultivator was having something that reminded him of her. This is not much but I know the young master is known for wearing black and crimson. We do not have black bedding, so crimson was the only other choice. The servants and I were told by Lady Jiang that the scent that the Young master often used was Lotus and made sure we put it on the sheets for your comfort in the hopes to sooth your sleep I offered to bring them to you having been there with my son.” She finished with a slight hitch in her breath the pain in her eyes evident telling him her son’s wife had not been found.

“Has she not been found?” Lan Zhan questioned finding it even harder not to reach for the sheets now that he knew they would smell like Wei Ying.

“She was found about a week ago unfortunately we were too late my son has still not recovered from the loss.” She answered thickly.

Lan Zhan felt his heart break for her there had been too much of this sort of story since Wen Rohan and the more he heard the more furious he became. It was an utterly useless fury due to the man no longer being there for him to vent his fury on, but he couldn’t help but feel justified in his feeling he had been left to his own whims for too long which in the end harmed too many innocent people.

He would have started to blame himself if the servant hadn’t seen it written on his face and quickly gotten his attention, “You should not blame yourself; you are far too young to have done anything to stop him before he lost his mind. The blame falls upon those before you…those of the last generation who refused to see that he was anything but a mad man with too much power. The fact that you fought in a war you didn’t have to against someone who should have been stopped before tells of your goodness and all of us are more grateful to you then you can ever imagine. So please do not blame yourself for something that you had no part in and thank you for stopping it when the others refused.”

Lan Zhan blinked surprised at how easily this woman could read him while also feeling relieved by her words even though he knew it shouldn’t be that easy to make him feel better. She smiled as she realized he took her words to heart then she carefully held the bedding out to Lan Zhan who took it without thinking, “Please get some rest Young master I will make sure someone gathers the supplies for Little A-Yuan should you find a way of getting out of Lotus Pier they shall be in these chambers in the morning rest well.”

Lan Zhan nodded silently then silently watched as she walked away closing the doors behind her. Slowly he turned towards the bed the bedding in his arms weighing heavier than he knew they should and forcing one foot in front of the other he made the bed his hands trembling. By the time he finished he felt like he was going to collapse under the weight of his own instability but managed to go the wardrobe and carefully removed his outer robes and put them away neatly.

Still feeling weaker than he knew he should he checked on A-Yuan one last time before he made his way to the bed removed his boots and somehow managed to get into the bed without convincing himself he shouldn’t. Upon pulling the sheets and blankets up around him and realizing that they had told him the truth…the sheets did smell like Wei Ying…well sort of they didn’t have the scent that was distinctly Wei Ying no one could replicate that.

But the lotus scent that he favored so much permeated the cloth and he felt himself drifting off before he knew what was happening. He knew he should feel something about the fact that this scent alone was comforting but he felt as if he didn’t have the energy to feel anything let alone think about what it meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave comments so i know what you think about the changes and if it goes more along with the title of the story.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am starting to think i lost readers because no one has been leaving reviews if you don't like it please let me know below or if you do please let me know as well so i know whether i should continue.

Chapter Four

‘Lan Zhan, Help Me!’ He sat bolt upright upon feeling Wei Ying cry for help clear to his bones. His heart was pounding in his ears and he ended up for a moment forgetting how to breathe as he looked around the room wildly trying to associate himself with his surroundings again. For the first time in his life, he could not seem to gain his bearings still hearing Wei Ying’s plea for help ringing in his ears.

His vision spotted as he found it difficult to get enough air in his lungs that was until he heard A-Yuan. He quickly forced his body into submission knowing he had to do what Wei Ying wished of him and take care of A-Yuan which meant he could not let his own panic get in the way of making sure of that.

He scrambled out of the bed once he was able to get his breathing under control then very carefully, he got A-Yuan out of his crib and began their morning routine careful not to miss anything that Wei Ying normally did so that there would be some semblance of normalcy. The tear’s in A-Yuan’s eyes were a testament to the fact that it truly wasn’t enough, but he was willing to bear with it until his papa was found.

Lan Zhan couldn’t find it in himself to blame the child, he felt the same way. He missed the way Wei Ying’s presence filled the room even before he woke up most of the time because he would find something to grumble about as he tried escaping the sunlight. Then the way he would struggle with the blankets as he forced himself to get up and stumble around as he cared for A-Yuan the same diligence and love he did with everything else.

Once he was done even getting himself ready suddenly wondering how Wei Ying managed to get himself ready with a squirming infant in his arms a testament to how much of a natural, he was. He left to go and track down Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng hoping they were already up so they could discuss where to go from there so they could find Wei Ying.

When he entered the main hall, he found much to his relief both there each of them seemed like they would rather be anywhere else. Apparently not used to being up so early but knowing he would be, so they dragged themselves out of bed to make sure he didn’t force them out of bed in his haste to get going on their plans.

Once they noticed him Jiang Cheng waved him to a seat nearby and he waited until he was seated before he began speaking, “Sect Leader Nie was just filling me in on what has been happening since we were investigating the smaller clans. Apparently, the Fierce corpses have been only fighting when they try and head in the direction of Yiling then stop fighting and just mill around when they return to the Sect house.”

Lan Zhan nodded slowly, “That explains his message. If they didn’t want him to get away, they would make sure it would be difficult by controlling the fierce corpses on the way to Yiling to keep us from getting to him.”

Jiang Cheng nodded surprised to see how much emotion was in Lan Zhan’s eyes, “That leaves us a problem, if they keep building in number and with how difficult it was even for Sect leader Nie and his men to get through them we do not have the numbers nor the resources to not only get through them but to continue to be holed up in here for however long it takes for them finally stop barring our way…”

Jiang Cheng saw a look cross Lan Zhan’s eyes and he had to quickly reassure him, “We will not let it get that far for that would mean they succeeded in breaking him. We need to have faith in him he is stronger than that. Even if he feels like he isn’t we all knows he is far more stubborn then most. Now my priority is to get my people out of here because we will not be able to support them if we continue to be stuck here with no way of getting out to get supplies.”

Lan Zhan found himself bitting the inside of his cheek before he nodded his head, “I shall help you if it means we get that much closer to getting to Wei Ying.”

Jiang Cheng nodded then they began to plan on how to get the civilian’s out of Lotus Pier. The plan was to send them by water to Jiang Cheng’s relatives to keep them safe until they were no longer in danger then they could return. A message was sent not long after the meeting a method Wei Ying had taught Lan Zhan that got it there swifter and without it being noticed.

It took them two days to put their plan into action mostly because they needed to observe the fierce corpses to make sure they could get the many civilians out of Lotus pier while also needing to wait for Jiang Cheng’s relatives to get back to him. When they did, he was a bit surprised that there was no hesitation in their willingness to house all they would be sending until it was safe enough for their return. In the dead of night with only what Lan Zhan called Wei Ying’s Butterly talisman as a source of light in groups of six they began moving the towns people silently out of the sect house and into the large boats sitting silently upon the lake.

Several of the disciples were stationed on each side of the docks and road leading to the boats to make sure they were not caught unaware. Yanli stayed behind with A-Yuan knowing it was better at this point for him not to be with Lan Zhan who was among the men keeping his eyes peeled for the corpses. They were down to the last few when they finally attacked, while Jiang Cheng hurried the townspeople onto the last boat and sent it off Lan Zhan led the fight using his clan’s most powerful attack to keep them at bay while the others attacked physically killing them after he sent them flying.

Once Jiang Cheng gave the signal that the townspeople were at a safe enough distance with the talismans that Wei Ying had invented to keep corpses away. They worked better than the others due to him having to deal with them personally for three months, they all quickly headed back into the sect house and closed the gates.

One of the cultivators signaled that the corpses had settled down telling them their plan had worked which would now allow them to focus on a plan to rescue Wei Ying. Nie Mingjue, Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan, reconvened in the main building and began to work on the best course of action now that they no longer had to worry about the safety of the townspeople; and how they were going to feed them while they tried to find a way to get passed the corpses blocking their way to Yiling.

For weeks they tried everything they could think of, but the corpses seemed endless when one was destroyed another one took its place in the blink of an eye wearing them down and draining their spiritual energy. They refused to give up no matter how hopeless it seemed even as they approached the third month and finally, they reached a decision to try what they had with the townspeople and just try and get Lan Zhan with A-Yuan through by them fighting the corpses.

However, right when they were about to put their plan into action, they opened the gates to find that every single corpse that had been there collapsed or a pile of ashes as if they had just given up or had lost whatever had been controlling them. Carefully they walked through the growing number of piles of corpses their swords in hand just in case until they realized they were not going to move.

Lan Zhan stopped mid step and looked at Jiang Cheng his heart nearly stopping. He saw a panicked look in his eyes as he said sharply, “You are faster than either of us are, find him he cannot be dead…” his voice broke, “He just can’t be, don’t stop until you find him.”

Lan Zhan nodded then without a word he jumped onto the horse that Jiang Cheng had whistled for and took off without looking back.

It took him a little over a day to get to Yiling following the piles of corpses which increased in numbers the closer he got. Once he got there, he was startled by the fact that everyone seemed to be celebrating setting off firecrackers and music filled the air, someone had made some sort of dragon while they danced around. Alcohol ran like water and food stalls lined the streets selling sweets and foods known in Yiling alone.

When he rode in only a few acknowledged him and one came up and took the reins of the horse looking a little confused about the child against his chest, “Are you here for the celebrations Young Master?”

“Celebrations?” he found himself questioning forcing himself not to say it icily because of him wishing to speed through the town to find Wei Ying.

If the person thought anything of his tone or the way he reacted they didn’t comment on it nor did they acknowledge it instead he answered with a broad grin, “The great Jade Dragon came just the other day we are celebrating due to the fact that after his arrival the burial mounds cleared up overnight of all the resentful energy and all the fierce corpses that were controlled by the mounds moved no more.”

Lan Zhan’s eyes widened in alarm panic filling his vein’s, but he forced it not to fill his voice as he questioned, “Has there been a man seen dressed in black and crimson seen around Yiling since the great dragon was seen?”

The man tilted his head for a moment in thought then he looked at him, “He hasn’t been seen in Yiling but the one who saw the great dragon said that he swore in the claws of the dragon there was someone dressed in black being carried away.”

Lan Zhan’s heart nearly stopped, “which way did the dragon go?”

“He said the dragon went straight north as far as he could tell.” He answered.

Lan Zhan nodded then he very carefully climbed off the horse then taking the reins from the man he handed him a gold piece having learned it was better to pay for information from Wei Ying, “thank you Sir.”

The Man blinked at the gold piece and shot him a brilliant grin before he watched him disappear into the crowd.

Lan Zhan carefully maneuvered his way through the rambunctious crowd annoyed by how loud they were and eventually he had to find somewhere quiet to get away from them due to A-Yuan needing to get away from the noise. He had been fine for a while but the combination of it and feeling of Lan Zhan’s agitation had made his restless and eventually it had him in hysteric’s which stopped him from being able to move on.

The inn keepers seemed to give him understanding looks upon him entering with A-Yuan and though they were curious as to why he was there they asked no questions and brought him what he requested while he tried to calm A-Yuan.

He honestly didn’t know how Wei Ying did it, after a while of trying to calm the hysterical infant he was at his wit’s end. He found himself begging whatever gods would listen that he would figure out what Wei Ying did to calm him down only for A-Yuan to finally wear himself out. He fell asleep with a frown on his face tear’s still streaming down his cheeks and little whimpers while his fingers gripped his robes tightly.

He found himself breathed a sigh of relief involuntarily tear’s also filling his eyes as he thought with desperation, ‘Please Wei Ying be ok, I can’t do this without you…I am trying but I need you…A-Yuan needs you.’

He found himself sitting down overwhelmed beside the table after food was brought to him unable to eat his food. He knew he needed to eat to gain the strength for what he knew was coming but he found he had no appetite. Just before the food went cold, he suddenly knew what Wei Ying would do if he knew he wasn’t eating.

He would have sat on the other side of the table his arms crossed and a disappointed look on his face, ‘Lan Zhan, you can’t do this I know that this is hard but not eating is not keeping your promise. It will make it, so you are too weak to care for A-Yuan…so you better start eating, or I won’t forgive you.’

Slowly despite it only being a vision of Wei Ying he felt the need to do what was requested of him. Once he had finished his meal, he carefully got A-Yuan ready for bed noting that the sun had gone down which meant that he wouldn’t be able to look for any evidence in the dark. He also knew that Wei Ying would expect him to get rest so he could properly care for A-Yuan and he refused to disappoint him even if he wasn’t there to see it.

So, he decided after he lay A-Yuan down he managed to calm himself down enough to meditate so that he could sleep and laid down. It still took him a little while to fall asleep but when he did, he managed to go through a dreamless one so that he would be well rested.

The next morning, he was up well before the sun that way he could get A-Yuan ready before he was fully awake and long before anyone could wake up and begin to celebrate again. He honestly didn’t know how long they had been celebrating but from experience he knew that most places when they would celebrate something like this it could go on for a week or longer thus, he wanted to avoid it so that he could get to the burial mounds to make sure who the dragon had taken.

He hated the fact that he could not just take off in the direction the dragon had left everything in him screaming that it was Wei Ying the dragon had taken. He knew that if he didn’t fully investigate, then he found out when he tracked down the dragon that it wasn’t Wei Ying, he would be back to square one and it would take away from the time it could have given him to truly find him.

He gathered his horse once again from the disgruntled stable hands and made his way to the burial mounds. When he finally managed to make it to the mountain, he found himself bewildered by the lack of resentful energy that had been present for generations, and despite so many trying to purify it all attempts had been pointless.

It certainly explained the fact that the townspeople had been celebrating as well as the fact that all the fierce corpses that had come from the burial mounds had collapsed. The mountain was still barren barely sustaining any life and any life that managed to survive was barely holding on, he knew that much of it would more than likely be filled with the resentful energy that no longer filled the air and burned the lungs.

He had to travel far up the mountain before he found any sign of what had occurred. He froze in place upon seeing the ground still smoldering with flames that appeared to have barely gone out, the entire area he arrived in had burned to the ground leaving nothing alive not even the little bit of life that managed despite all odds to thrive.

The only thing that remained unchanged despite the ashes and what had made him freeze were the four large paw prints, its claws left deep gouges in the ground which was more than likely the reason they didn’t disappear when the area had burned. Other than the paw prints there was no other sign that whatever had made the prints could be a dragon.

The horse ended up being upset at being near the paw prints thus he had to pull back and tie him to a tree to make sure he didn’t escape while he investigated. Carefully he went back, and so as not to disturb the scene he walked around the prints and kept his eyes peeled for anything that could tell him what had occurred there.

Then he saw it, at first, he wasn’t certain what he was seeing it was because it was partially covered in the ashes, but it took every ounce of strength, he possessed not to fall to his knee’s the moment he saw right in front of the paw prints, a crimson ribbon and not far away a crimson tassel with a white jade lotus blossom on the end.

He carefully walked towards them and picked them up finding they were unharmed before putting them both in his sleeve now having the evidence, he needed to know it was Wei Ying the dragon had.

He quickly made his way back to the horse and without any more delay he jumped on its back and spurned the horse to go and fast he didn’t know what the dragon intended but it worried him that he now may be too late to save him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments below.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment below please and thank you.


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